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<br />Training <br />Slow the Flow Colorado trains auditors prior to the irrigation inspection season and <br />provides continual educational meetings throughout the nine-week inspection period. The <br />information is sourced from the University of Utah Slow the Flow Save H20 program, <br />the Irrigation Association and industry manuals. A Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor <br />(CLIA) is also on the training staff. The training process utilizes a combination of in <br />classroom teaching as well as hands-on instruction. <br /> <br />The training has become increasingly comprehensive and rigorous with each year the <br />program has been in operation. Auditors are required to test out of the training and are <br />subject to quality control checl(s throughout the inspection season. The auditors are also <br />paired for the first few days of inspections in order to make the transition into performing <br />inspections independently more comfortable. <br /> <br />The CRC strives to find qualified individuals that have a strong background in water <br />conservation, horticulture and/or irrigation. The majority of interns hired are university <br />students seeking a Bachelors degree in a related field such as landscape design, <br />environmental studies, geography, geology, etc. <br /> <br />In 2004, Tiffany Graham, who was associated with Utah's irrigation inspection program, <br />Slow the Flow Save H20, helped to conduct the training of five auditors. Kara Csibrik, <br />the Director of the Western Water Conservancy, also helped to conduct the training <br />session. The 2004 training session spanned two full days and covered the following <br />topics: <br /> <br />· History of water issues confronting Colorado <br />· Horticultural and Best Management Practices <br />· Evapotranspiration, soil, and grass types in relation to irrigation scheduling <br />· Irrigation system design concepts (layout, pressure, head type, etc.) <br />. Irrigation equipment <br />· Irrigation system efficiencies and inefficiencies <br />· Troubleshooting <br />· Procedures of an irrigation inspection <br />. Field irrigation inspections <br /> <br />In 2005, with the help of auditors from the previous year, Graham and Csibrik trained ten <br />auditors. The 2005 training session was extended by a full day in order to incorporate <br />additional information on turf diseases, pests and pest management, and drip irrigation. <br />More hands-on training was implemented in 2005, including more time dedicated to field <br />inspections. In 2006, the training was extended again by another full day, in part to <br />accommodate for the increasing number of auditors required to conduct inspections and <br />also to allow for increased training on various topics. Csibrik and former Slow the Flow <br />auditor of two years, Jeannine Shaw, lead the training of seventeen auditors over a four <br />day period. An instructional CD-ROM produced by RainBird highlighted and <br />emphasized the design components, parts, and installation of an irrigation system. Extra <br /> <br />15 <br />